Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "はじまります" vs "大変"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
はじまります
はじまります (hajimarimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
大変
たいへん (taihen)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both はじまります and 大変 are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
はじまります (はじまります (hajimarimasu)) represents "to begin, to start (intransitive)" (Level: N5) and typically represents Intransitive verb. Used when something starts by itself or a situation begins. The subject is the thing that starts.
On the other hand, 大変 (たいへん (taihen)) translates to "very, terribly; difficult, tough; serious, awful" (Level: N4) and is used for Can function as an adverb. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "はじまります"
会議は9時に始まります。
The meeting starts at 9 o'clock.
Bilingual Sentence for "大変"
日本語の勉強は大変ですが、楽しいです。
Studying Japanese is difficult, but fun.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "会議は9時に始まります。" (Meaning: "The meeting starts at 9 o'clock.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "はじまります" fits here because it represents "to begin, to start (intransitive)" in the context: "The meeting starts at 9 o'clock.".